Comment: A cold wind from A level

Nothing in this year's crop of A-level results offers encouragement for the future of British science. In contrast to the record level of successes in arts subjects, the number of students taking mathematics, physics and chemistry all declined, continuing a trend of the past few years.

The most widely quoted scapegoat is a nationwide shortage of qualified teachers. But this is surely a symptom as much as a cause of the situation. The real problem is that science no longer offers attractive career prospects. Who can be blamed for deciding against chemistry, for example, when they read that Britain's largest chemical manufacturer, ICI, may be taken over by a financier whose main interest appears to be primarily in short-term profits?

The government seems to be suprisingly unperturbed, saying that it is up to students to choose the A levels that suit them. But when so many decide against science, surely ...

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